The Promised King
by Yonkou Susanowo
Summary: In the final days of the War, the gods move to fulfill a promise made long ago. Aang must prove himself worthy of the power he is given, or risk being pushed aside by titantic forces. A Champion of the Order rises to fight the Chaos, for all is not how it seems. One thing is certain, the gods protect, and woe to the Enemies of Man... Doctor Anthony's reward story, sorry it is late
1. Prelude

**Author's note 1: Sorry that this is so late getting to you Doctor Anthony. Hope you enjoy. To all viewers, the Order is quite different then it was in the show, and there is quite a bit of tension in it. You will read more on that later. Basically most things are the same, at least on the surface. There is a lot more going on underneath, but that will be described in greater detail in chapters 2 and 3. Well hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**The Promised King**

**Prelude**

* * *

**The Eastern Air Temple, Late Spring, 100 ASC**

Surrounded on all sides by towering mountains, the Eastern Air Temple stands as a solemn reminder of the folly of Man. Beneath the serene clouds lay a desolate and crumbling façade. The structures of the old Air Monks, abandoned and untended for more than a century, are crumbling around the occupants of the old Temple, the rats and other vermin who find sanctuary in the tomb of a once great civilization.

On the surface only two figures move; one the Avatar of Humanity, the last remaining force capable of stopping the Fire Nation and its inexorable assault on the Earth Kingdom and the very concept of the nation. The second figure is of a shrunken old man, a guru, who has revealed himself to grant the Avatar the power necessary to end the conflict. But all is not how it seems. The world of the Avatar is put a small cog in a much larger organization, one that spans all of creation. The Avatar of Humanity, far from being the supreme guardian of mankind, is merely a provincial governor (though he does not realize this). The Eastern Air Temple, far from being a desolate husk of a once great people, is a vast and productive installation producing not only war materials, but also soldiers. And the guru is far from the simple old man who he pretends to be; no, the guru is a being of such untold power that with a single swipe of his hand he could kill the Avatar.

Much has been shrouded since the beginning of the war, and even before. The powers of the Avatar world assume that the drama which has consumed their planet for a century is coming to a close. They are right, but the ending is not how they imagined it.

Beneath the lays or rock and dirt stands a man. He is stall, clothed in crimson leather armor. He is tall, six foot three, with a muscular build. His piercing yellow eyes mark him as a member of the Fire Nation, while his jet black hair is tired into a ponytail that reaches down to his midback. Unlike his brethren in the Royal Administratum he does not have a topknot. At his side hands a sling sword. The sword is rather blade, with not outstanding features aside from its rather straight blade. The only thing of note is a set of runes that have been carved into the blade itself and into the handle.

The man gazes up at an image of the two beings on a crystalline structure. He frowns, concern playing across his face. "The Avatar is progressing far too slowly through the initiation. The longer he takes the more time Azula has to push through with her plans of conquering Ba Sing Se."

Behind him another voice responds. "And would that be such a bad thing Lord Kalo?" Kalo turns, studying the image of his long time friend and comrade. "After all, do the gods not will the destruction of Ba Sing Se?" The man steps out into the light, revealing a massive figure, towering figure. Whereas Kalo is clothed in the crimson armor, this man is adorned with a heavy armor of green and brown coloration. At his side he wields a massive club-like weapon, though Kalo knows that its true form is one of the most terrifying weapons known to man. His face is covered in a hood, but Kalo can see the mask, a testament to the suffering of his people under the hands of the Earth Kingdom.

Kalo nods at the man's statement, but gently corrects him. "That is true Hua, but the destruction of Ba Sing Se will be done in the gods' time, not the Fire Nation's. For now we still need that putrid, festering hole of corruption. More so for the sake of the Avatar then any potential value they may provide to us." Kalo understands Hua's near-hatred of the Earth Kingdom. He himself harbors a smoldering resentment to Long Feng and how he treats his people. Yet the will of the gods is supreme in all things. This is a lesson that Kalo learned early on. Hua, though he accepts this lesson in most cases, has personal reasons for not applying it to Ba Sing Se and its inhabitants though he does share their element.

At the mention of the Avatar Hua's face darkens. "We don't need him Lord Kalo. The gods have blessed you and your family. You could be our leader, our King. The Avatar has failed us far too many times to ever be trusted. His continued possession of the Avatar Spirit is an affront to the people of this world." Hua's eyes burn with rage at the thought of the Avatar and his long absence.

Kalo, more level headed then his friend on this subject tries to gently calm Hua. "While mistakes were made, the Avatar was exceptionally young when the news was given to him." Kalo cringes at the next part. "And the Air Monks… were rather lax in their security of the Avatar. While Aang should not have run away, and frozen himself, the Air Monks should have been a little bit more gentle in their dealings with him."

Hua, seeing his lord and friend's feelings on this matter, backs off slightly. Still he cannot help but make one last comment. "Or they should have put him in a cage, as I would have done."

Kalo sighs, rubbing his eyes. Hua, and the people like him, would cause the Avatar the most trouble after the War ended. It wasn't that they agreed with the Fire Lord and his Nihilist policies of total destruction, it was simply they could not stomach working with Avatar Aang. For his part Kalo was willing to give Aang more slack. He knew of the dangers of this world, both the seen and unseen, and actually felt a great deal of compassion for the poor boy, the promise made to his ancestors notwithstanding. Few things would make Kalo happier then to see Aang properly seated on the Golden Throne.

"Regardless of what might have been, Aang is here now. His Excellency will reveal the secrets of the Avatar State, at least the most pressing ones, and once Aang has opened all the chakras he will be able to unleash his full power on the Fire Nation. We need never reveal ourselves and risk an escalation of this conflict with the Great Enemy." Holding anger at Aang accomplished nothing but waste emotional energy that could be better put to use elsewhere. If the Aang was to be charged for fleeing his post it would be the gods who tried him, not Kalo.

'After all life is full of tough choices, and it is very easily to condemn Aang for the century of suffering, misery, and darkness that this world has gone through. People like Hua do have a point, Aang's actions have contributed to a great amount of suffering, yet Iroh and the others do have a point. He is still so very young. That is why I forgive you Aang. I forgive you for all the heart break, all the terror, all the wrongs that your absence caused me personally, and my friends and family. I forgive you. Do not disappoint me.' A sense of peace comes upon Kalo at this time, and to look upon the two men standing in the observation room underneath the ruins of the Eastern Air Temple with Aethersight would show a stark contrast between them. Kalo is serene, at peace with his life and the condition of the world. Hua is a like a vast, dark, churning sea, full of anger and resentment not only at Aang, but at a host of others.

Up on the screen, the guru successfully guides Aang through the opening of the 6th Chakra. Hua glares at the screen, folding his arms across his chest in irritation. "Well I will leave you my lord for now. If you require my services I will be training." He pats his club-like weapon affectionately, then moves off. Kalo studies Hua as he departs, feeling an immense sense of sadness for his friend, and a not small amount of irritation at Iroh.

**[Break]**

As the day turns into night the observation room beneath the ruins of the Eastern Air Temple fills up. Many of the manufactorum's operations have been suspended to afford the workers the opportunity to witness the historic moment, the moment when Aang became a fully realized Avatar. Inside the observation room there are three distinct groupings. The first grouping of the Order is the Iroh/Ursa loyalists. These men and women support the policies and rule of the Iroh/Ursa coalition that had governed the Order since Iroh had joined the Order in the wake of his son's, Lu Ten, death. As such they favored the status quo and supported the Avatar.

On the opposite side of the room stand the Imperials. Unlike the Iroh/Ursa faction, sometimes known as the Internationalists, the Imperials did not see a necessary conflict between the ideals of the Order and the idea of a Fire Nation Empire. They reasoned that a century of war had so radically changed the demographics of the Four Nations that any attempt to return to the status quo antebellum would be futile and end only in further bloodshed. Thus they advocated a union of the Fire Nation Royal Family and the Order of the White Lotus in the person of Kalo Poder, or some other suitable ruler. The fact that Kalo Poder himself did not wish this did not dissuade them in the slightest. They, naturally, were incredibly hostile to the Internationalist faction of the Order and open warfare was only avoided because Kalo Poder had not accepted the offer of leadership of the Imperialists.

The final faction of the Order of the White Lotus are the Non-Aligned. This is a lose group of Order officials who have not chosen a side, but instead follow the commands of the gods and their dictates. Kalo Poder is the most prominent member of this faction.

Thus the Internationalists stand clustered together on the right side of the room, the Imperialists on the left side, and the non-aligned in the middle, attempting to keep the peace between the other two polar opposite factions.

Thankfully all tension in the room flees when the guru and Aang walk to the top of the Eastern Air Temple. There is silence in the chamber as Guru Pathik begins the explanation of the final Chakra. The room waits, expectantly as Aang dips into the Aetherverse, that vast web of spiritual energy that connects the planet and all others together. They can feel it, the moment is approaching, the power about to be unleashed… when Aang pulls back. He looks up at Pathik, questioning him about the price of opening this last chakra.

Inside the observation room there are rumbles of discontent. The Imperials look over to their Internationalists counterpart, sneers plastered on their face. No one says anything, but then they don't really need to. Their looks says it all, 'So, this is who you place your hopes on? This boy who cannot even figure out that attachment and love are two completely different things and that the former is not a necessary condition for the latter.' Conversely the Internationalists' faces look like they have been sucking lemons for an hour.

In between the two factions Kalo and the non-aligned are fighting to keep despair from growing in their hearts. Kalo, more then anyone else, knows what will happen if the Avatar fails here. If Aang does not open the final Chakra he will never have the power to defeat Ozai. And then the gods will have to intervene personally, which will be disastrous for the Avatar.

Kalo is relieved then when Aang does back into meditation, and pointedly ignores Hua's speculative glace over in his direction. Kalo watches as Aang makes his way to the Avatar State, nearly immersing himself in the power when something unexpected happens. Katara's voice cries out and Aang instantly loses his nerve. He turns and flees. The chamber explodes in noise as the Imperials turn on the Internationalists, shouting denunciations of Aang. Only Kalo and a few other notice the dark presence that had somehow managed to infiltrate Aang's medication. But before they can even register its presence, it is gone, its work done.

Seeing that there is nothing more he can do from in here, Kalo turns and flees the room, running for all he is worth to go and stop Aang. He would have to reveal himself, and the Order, but maybe, just maybe he could talk Aang out of making the biggest mistake of his life. Perhaps, once Aang learned the true extent of the War and how he truly fit into it, Aang would return to the Guru. Maybe Aang just needed to be pounded into the ground and have some sense knocked into him. Whatever needed to be done Kalo would do it. He would not see this world fall into the hands of the Great Enemy because one 12 year old boy did not have the foresight to see his role in this conflict, or let his single-minded attachment to a fourteen year old girl ruin the plans of the gods and the peace and tranquility of millions of people.

As Kalo runs down the hallways and up the stairs of the Order's immense manufactorum, his heart begins to harden against the young Avatar. Images of his past, of his brutal upbringing and how he had been scarred leech into his head and heart. He remembers how his precious sister had been mistreated by their father, now thankfully deceased. He remembers the grinding poverty of the Earth Kingdom peasants, a result of the Nihilists and their inhumane policies. Most of all, he remembers the first time he saw the Great Enemy, and realized the depth of human folly.

He makes it out into the ruins of the Eastern Air Temple, but runs into a powerful psychic barrier. He is stunned for a second, then recovers and slams his own power against the barrier, trying to break through, trying to stop the Avatar from making the greatest mistake of his life. From his prison, he can see the Guru shouting at Aang, giving him one last chance. Aang, however, coldly dismisses the offer of power, trusting in his own wisdom and understanding rather than that of the Guru. Kalo sinks to his knees, despair filling his being.

Behind him a figure emerges, and places a hand on his shoulder. Without even looking back Kalo knows it is his friend, Hua. Despite the victory of the Imperials, Hua holds no gloating smile, no sarcastic comment, nothing negative. His spirit is calm, and serene; as serene as Kalo's was earlier in the day. "I am sorry Kalo." Four words, four words spoken with grace and humility. Kalo breaks down, crying out his frustration and rage. Hua turns Kalo around and embraces Kalo, letting Kalo cry out his frustrations in the arms of the only man who could possibly hope to contain the vast power that is Kalo Poder.

Beneath them bands of Imperials fan out through the Manufactorum, spreading the news of the Avatar's rejection of the guru. They proselytize to Non-Aligned and Internationalists alike. Many join the Imperials. Those who don't are quickly beaten down and captured. By the time that Kalo has collected himself enough to go back down into the Manufactorum, the Imperial Faction has taken control and is spreading the news through the Aethernet of the Avatar's refusal to open the 7th Chakra. The coup de'ta that the Imperials had long hoped for had begun; begun, like so many things, as an unintended consequence of Aang's actions.

As Kalo walks back down to the observation room he is constantly saluted by passing Imperials, or given pleading looks by captured Internationalists. Kalo pays neither much attention. He had long known that Hua and other Imperial leaders had dreams of taking over the Order, a dream nurtured by the harsh treatment they had received in the early years of the faction's live by the reigning Internationalists; though much of the abuse had been issued at the hands of the previous leader of the Internationalists.

When Kalo returns to the observation room of the Manufactorum, he finds the head officers of the Imperial Faction stationed at the EAT lined up before him, saluting him. Kalo nods to these men and women, having made up his mind. "Before any of you ask I have not yet decided to take up leadership of the Imperial faction." Not a single sound emanates from the lips of these officers. They can tell by Lord Kalo's body language that a momentous shift has occurred within the young lord. He will be theirs, it is only now a matter of time.

Continuing, Kalo adds, "The decision of the Avatar to reject the offer of the Order of the White Lotus is a most distressing one. He now has only one more chance. Should he fail in his attack on Lady Azula and the Dai Lee at Ba Sing Se, your dream will be fulfilled. Until that time the rule of the gods remain in effect. The Order will not openly reveal itself to the Avatar, but will continue to hide its true form and purpose. Our primary foe is still the Great Enemy. Thus I advise you to restrain yourselves from excesses when conducting your long dreamed of Coup. We still need the Internationalists, and at the end of the day we are all brothers and sisters of the Order. As I still have not accepted the title of your leader, I cannot give you orders. However I am going to Ba Sing Se, to witness the Avatar's rise or fall. Those who wish may come with me. Until the matter is decided, may the gods protect you." He gives them the salute of the Order, and then marches out, Hua staying behind.

Kalo has to meet with the Guru, then it is off to Ba Sing Se.

**Crystal Catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se**

Kalo, flanked by an Honor Guard of OWL Marauder Heavy Fighters, makes his way through a secret passage of the catacombs that had long been used by OWL agents moving in and out of the Royal Palace. Beside him Hua marches, his step light despite the Sword of Damocles that hangs over all their heads. Kalo is happy at that at least. Kalo has long ago learned to deal with the anger, the sense of betrayal, that his upbringing had concocted in him. Hua had not been so fortunate. Aside from this happy development, Kalo is weighed down with the implications of his presence here. In his younger, more foolish days, he had looked toward the promise made by the gods to his family with expectation, hoping that the Avatar would fail and he would be the one chosen to reap the glory.

Kalo snorts. Glory there would be, as well as a great deal of pain, suffering, and the sheer anguish of holding up an entire world. He understood how Aang must feel, to be torn from his carefree life and to have such a harsh burden put on such tiny and weak shoulders. Kalo did not want to be here, he did not want the promise to be fulfilled. 'But not by my will, but yours.' He thinks as he and his party walks onto a hidden observation room, hidden in the expectation of just such a battle.

The OWL Marauder guardsmen fan out and conduct a quick inspection of the chambers. Once they are satisfied they set up a defensive perimeter. Kalo and the others can watch the action down below, but the combatants cannot see them. As Kalo walks up to the one-way glass his heart clenches. There below, stands his beloved princess, Azula. Even though she is a Nihilist, Kalo cannot help but admire her stance. 'Such power and confidence,' Kalo comments internally as Azula charges forth, running up a crystal outcropping to fight the Avatar and his companion.

Kalo grits his teeth as the tables are turned on Azula. His hand comes of its own volition to his sword's, Revan, hilt. He desires nothing more than to rip open the barrier separating him from the combatants and show the Avatar how a true warrior fights. He resists the temptation though. He does this partly because he needs to give Aang this last chance; this one last chance to prove himself. The other reason, the much larger one, is because he cannot stand the thought of aiding Azula's possessor, that dark spirit who seeks to use Azula as a conduit into the realm of Man. To help her now, no matter how much he desires, will only cause her to die. So he waits, watching as the battle unfolds before him.

Hua steps up beside him, his arms folded over his chest. "My lord it seems as if the Avatar has done a passable job master Earthbending. I have seen his teacher's work, and though he lacks her style, I can sense potential." The compliment is given grudgingly.

Kalo nods. "He has progressed far from that pathetic state he was in after he emerged from the iceberg." Inwardly Kalo starts to feel a little bit better. Perhaps Aang not activating the AS in the EAT was not such a bad thing…

Kalo's musing is interrupted as Zuko makes his presence known. Even from this distance the miasma of confusion and frustration reaches Kalo's spirit senses. Beside him Hua breathes the miasma in deeply, sensing a kindred spirit in Zuko at this moment. "This is the shatterpoint my lord. The decision Zuko makes here will resound throughout history. If he chooses to side with the Avatar Azula will be defeated, for even a warrior of her caliber can be worn down and overwhelmed by superior numbers. If Zuko sides with her however…" Hua lets the sentence trail off, his light tone more than telling what outcome he desires.

Kalo's eyes flick to his friend. "You do realize I have fought against this outcome for most of the past seven years. I do not desire that the promise of the gods be fulfilled. I do not want this."

Hua bows his head toward Kalo, and keeps his voice low. "And that is why you are most worthy of the power. You, who do not want it; you, who desires only a life of quiet meditation and study; you, the one man on this world who could claim godhood, but doesn't. In you I see the greatness of Man and, flawed though you may be, the humility to admit it and avoid the trap of power." Hua bends his knee, his head still lowered before Kalo. The OWL Marauder Heavy guardsmen also bend their knees, bowing before Lord Kalo.

"You are our King and Lord," Hua continues. "In you I find the only man I would willingly give my life for. In you I see a future of peace. Only you are worthy of the promise that was given."

The attention of the group is diverted outside as Zuko's choice is made. Below them, Zuko attacks the Avatar, forcing him back. Azula turns her attention to Katara and the fight resumes. Back in the observation room Hua rises, smiling. "This is a day the world will long remember. It will see the fall of the Avatar, and the rise of Lord Kalo, Phoenix Lord of the Empire."

Kalo's ashen face turns back toward the battle, and it becomes obvious that the tide has turned against the Avatar. Aang tries, and performs some impressive feats of Earthbending, but it is not enough. As soon as the Dai Lee enter the picture it is all over. Aang tries to summon the power of the Avatar State, but there are too many enemies. Azula's lightning seals not only the Avatar's fate, but Kalo's as well. Kalo turns from the window, disgust written all over his face.

"We are finished here. Aang has failed. The Promise of the gods will most likely be fulfilled. Rejoice now, Imperials. I, Lord Kalo Poder of the 501st Legion of the Imperial Fire Army, do accept your offer. I will now lead you to victory, and this world will never be the same."

Hua, having activated an aethercrystal, has transmitted Kalo's words all over the Order of the White Lotus. Every Imperial is heartened by the news. The Internationalists despair. Now that the message is out, Hua steps up and raises his fist into the air. "ALL HAIL LORD KALO!" Kalo pauses, and gazes at the OWL Marauder Guardsman who start the chant as well. "ALL HAIL LORD KALO!" Across the world, at every secure OWL facility, the Imperials come out and continue the chant. "ALL HAIL LORD KALO!"

Kalo accepts the praise, and then leaves the observation platform. He had a court date to keep.

**Somewhere, Somehow, Somewhen**

Aang awakens to find himself standing in a bright room. The light is so intense that he cannot make anything out. Terror washes through him as the last instances of his life on earth come flooding back. He stumbles forward, his head and back suddenly awash with pain. He grimaces as he reaches with his left hand to touch the spot where Azula's lightning had pierced him. Strangely he feels warm slick blood oozing slowly out of his wound. Incomprehension rises up in him. "How…," but before he can complete the sentence a rough voice cuts him off.

"This is the Spirit World Avatar, specifically Heaven's Gate. The rules are, a tad bit different here." Aang whirls to find himself standing opposite a large man in glowing crimson armor. Green flames seem to pulse from his body, and his fierce golden eyes seem as if they can pierce Aang's very soul.

"Who are you?" Is the only thing Aang can get out, such is the power emanating from the man. For a brief instant Aang believes that the man is the personification of the Avatar Spirit, but he quickly dismisses that notion. This man, no matter how powerful, is still human. For some reason that does not make Aang feel better.

The man takes a step forward, the green flames spreading from his body, beginning the process of revealing to a stunted Avatar the truth of his surroundings. "I am Lord Kalo Poder, General of the 501st Legion of the Imperial Fire Army, High Moff of the Royal Administratum, and Grand Lord of the Imperialist Faction of the Order of the White Lotus. But all these titles and positions are irrelevant to you at this point in time. What matters most is that I am your prosecutor for your trial."

Kalo bears down on Aang, and Aang can see great anger in his eyes. Curiously disappointment, regret, and sadness are mixed in with the anger. For all the pain he is in, Aang cannot help but wonder if Kalo is in worse agony. Behind Aang the light fades and seven forms come into view. Aang turns around and is brought to his knees by immense Aether pressure.

Kalo steps over Aang's prostrate form and kneels before the seven figures. "My gods! I have heeded your call and brought you the accused, Avatar Aang! This boy, who was graced by your holy presence all the days of his life, has rejected your divine mercy repeatedly; mocked your authority on countless occasion; has acted irresponsibly with powers now his own; and a host of other offenses. I now move that his trial begin, and you, in your wisdom, determine his fate."

In the background figures arise out of the light and solidify into the forms of men and women. They all cast their gaze at Aang, their eyes showing no hint of emotion. Aang, his back still in flames from Azula attack, raises his head, his brain not quite comprehending the magnitude of the proceedings. "A trial… but I tried my best…"

One of the gods, a great golden dragon, speaks at this. **"ONLY YOUR YOUTH PREVENTS YOUR COMPLETE DESTRUCTION. LET THE PROCEEDINGS BEGIN NOW."** With the booming voice of the gods still ringing in his ears, Aang feels chains envelop him, raising him up off the ground. Fear becomes terror as his eyes now fully comprehend the gods, and the depth of their anger…

* * *

**Author note 2:**

**I am so sorry that this took so long. Life, RPG, and life took their toll. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. I wanted to portray Kalo as Aang's ally, someone who sympathized with him, but when the time came would do what he needed to do. The trial itself won't be written, except maybe in a brief flashback. The next chapter will skip forward to Day of Black Sun which will have two chapters and then a ending chapter where everything is wrapped up.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**


	2. Summer Memories

**The Promised King**

**Summer Memories, Part 1**

* * *

For Kalo Poder, the weeks leading up to advent of Sozin's Comet were busy, but productive. After returning from the Spirit World where he had laid out, in excruciating detail, the extent of Aang's failure as an Avatar, he had been confronted with the shackled figures of Iroh and Former Grandmaster Ursa. Hua had been quite successful in his efforts, turning about ninety-five percent of the Order to the Imperial cause. The remaining five percent were deemed as heretics and set to be imprisoned until the conclusion of the war when Kalo intervened.

**Flashback**

"And that is the full list of units and individuals who have refused to pledge their allegiance to you Lord Kalo. Since you have now fully embraced the god's promise, and thus are their Regent on this world, we have deemed these malcontents heretics. They are rebels not only against your authority and the ideals of the Imperialists, they are also rebels against the gods. I have prepared the necessary prisons to hold them until after the war is brought to a successful conclusion and need only your permission to begin their transfer." Hua stands at attention before Kalo, Prince Iroh and former Grand Master Ursa bounded and gagged at his feet between him and Kalo.

Kalo glances down at the two former leaders of the Order. His eyes are blank as he studies them and weighs his options. He quickly comes to his decision. "Get them on their feet." He orders the Imperialists. Hua and an Imperialist soldier nod and take Iroh and Ursa by the arms, bringing them up so they are standing. Kalo wastes no time stepping forward and slamming his fist into Iroh's much reduced stomach. For added measure Kalo ignites his fist, but only uses a weak level 3 flame; the common red flame of the majority of Fire Benders.

Iroh exhales air out as Kalo's fist drives into his gut. When Kalo removes his fist, the Imperialists allow Iroh to fall to his knees before Kalo. Iroh's eyes are now hard orbs, glaring up at Kalo. Kalo returns the glare with equal if not greater hatred. "That is for not dragging the Avatar to us the INSTANT you learned of his renewed existence on this world."

Turning his attention from Iroh, Kalo walks over to Ursa who tenses. Kalo pauses for a moment, debating with himself on doing a repeat of his attack on Iroh. Kalo decides not to and instead merely grabs Ursa by the throat. "And you, why for the love of the gods did you not take Azula out of that hell pit you called a palace when you decided to flee? For that matter why didn't you take Zuko? I would rather them experience the open, honest terror of running for their lives then to live in that viper's nest with Ozai." Kalo once again heats his hand, burning Ursa's neck slightly. A small whimper makes it out of her throat. This breaks Kalo's will and he lets go, Ursa dropping to the floor.

"Ursa!" Iroh cries out, the worry clear in his voice. Behind him Hua nods to Kalo, pleased beyond all measure that Kalo had burned any remaining bridges connecting the Imperialists and the Internationalists together. They would forever remain separate entities now. The Imperialists would inherit a kingdom, no a world. The Internationalists would be consigned to the ash heap of history, unworthy of the new era the world was entering.

"You both, are monsters…" Ursa rasps out her throat raw from the flaming chokehold Kalo used on her. Hua predictably responds by whacking her over the side of the head; memories of the indignities he had suffered at the hands of her predecessor and her early, bitter infused years, fresh in his mind.

"We are monsters!? We didn't leave our children in the presence of a madman whose idea of victory consists of completely burning an entire continent. We didn't continually let the Avatar slip through our fingers and let him wander and do whatever he pleased. We didn't alienate those who didn't share our beliefs with taunts, and self-righteous ridicule. Yet we are the monsters!? How dare you say such things about my lord! Did you not see the trial!? Your day is over! Your hero will fall to his own hubris and ignorance, an ignorance you helped foster in him. This is the age of the Empire. The Four Nations are dead, and will never rise again. The Earth Kingdom is dead. The Empire will be born, and it will be purified. And those who cannot accept that will be cast out." Hua finishes with summoning two mounds of earth, shaping them into long, thin swords. He grabs both of them and raises them over his head, intending to further punish the disgraced leaders for their insolence.

Time slows down for Kalo as he digests processes what has just happened and its implications for the future. Behind Hua, Kalo can see the ordinary members of the Imperialists watching, a dark pit of anger and vengeance growing in their souls. In it Kalo sees nothing but ruin. 'Leaders must set the example for their troops,' Kalo muses, 'if the King does not move, how can he expect his troops to follow?' How could Kalo expect his men, for they were his men now and would forever be his, to follow the path of the gods, the true gods. It was a hard path, a path of honor and sacrifice, of obedience and faith, a path that would lead them to paradise. Petty vengeance had no place on the gods' path, and what was occurring here if not petty vengeance?

Did Iroh and Ursa make mistakes? Yes. Could they have done things differently? Yes. Could they have used their supposed intelligence to actually think through some of the consequences of their actions before making such breathtaking idiotic actions that only aided the Great Enemy? YESS! But who was Kalo to allow this, this barbarity? Who was he to have participated?

And what chilled him to the bone was the ideas he saw forming in the mind of his men. They did nothing, but watched. So much like children; curious, inventive, remembering. How would this one scene, with the masters of the Imperialists acting in such an unbecoming manner of a follower of the Gods of Order, play out into the future? How would the concept of Empire, that most wonderful institution of man, be corrupted by his and Hua's actions here today?

Kalo could not, would not allow it. The Imperial Idea could not be tainted in such away. The Nation-State had been discredited by the Internationalists so the people of the world were ripe for a new idea, but they could just as easily turn back to the Nation-State, especially if the Imperial Idea was built on faulty foundations.

Thus when Kalo speaks, Hua actually shivers a little. The coldness in Kalo's voice rivals the Artic, and no one wanted to cross their leader when he sounded like that. "But the swords away Hua. There will be time enough for that later, on the open fields of combat. For now we must atone for our wicked and disgraceful behavior. You will meet me in the Sanctuary tonight." Kalo then turns to Iroh and Ursa. "Make no mistake. I still view you two as incompetent and unworthy of the Order. Still…" and here Kalo pauses and looks into the eyes of his men. When he is sure that he has their undivided attention he continues, "we are not brutes. We are better then you. The bankruptcy of the Nation-State has been made apparent to us. We are embarking on a new path; a path full of honor, glory, and riches beyond your wildest imagination. We thus have no need to debase ourselves like this. For what it is worth you have my apology. Though you deserve to be cast out, there is no reason for us to be so uncivilized about it."

Kalo walks past the two former leaders and over to the wall where he pulls up a display on an Aethercrystal. He spends a few moments typing commands into the crystal before returning to the former leaders. "For better or for worse you were members of the Order. You currently possess the loyalty of five percent of the Order's personal. Thus you entitled to five percent of the Order's resources, excluding a few essential projects that are the fruits of my labor and thus mine alone. You will be escorted to the medic, and after being healed you will gather your choice of the supplies and be sent on your way. Once you have been deposited at the site of your choosing all familial obligation between us will have been exhausted. We are diametrically opposed forces. Conflict is the only possible outcome of any future interaction; our goals are too widely different for anything else."

Kalo nods to the troopers and they begin marching the former leaders away. As they leave Ursa motions to stop. The trooper complies and she turns to Kalo. "Why couldn't you accept the Avatar?" It truly was the only relevant question she could ask.

Kalo gazes at her then snorts in disdain. "I did accept him, conditionally. I prided myself on my tolerance. Unlike the Imperialists I gave him a chance, multiple chances. But my patience is not infinite Ursa. I have a vision I want to see achieved. I have a love I will rescue from darkness. I do not have time to wait for the Avatar to come to terms that he must either do the job or stand aside. Your daughter's very existence hangs in the balance, and yet you seem to care more about some boy then her. Now be gone. I have work to do." The troopers then lead the pair away and Kalo leaves the assembled officers and men of the Imperialists. As he leaves Hua barks some orders and then makes his way to the Sanctuary for his penance.

As for Kalo he makes his way to his new office to begin filling out the necessary paperwork. There is little time left and much to be done.

**End of Flashback**

**The Tethis Sea, Day of Sozin's Comet; onboard Sol Invictus**

Onboard his flagship, Sol Invictus, Kalo ponders his next move. Sol Invictus is a massive dirigible air warship, commissioned to be able to outfight anything the main Fire Nation forces were able to field. At over five hundred meters long, Sol Invictus bore the latest advanced weapon systems that the Order possessed, which were centuries more advanced then anything the people of this world possessed. Sol Invictus' most useful capability, from Kalo's point of view, was its active camouflage. Despite being larger then the combined Fire Nation air fleet, no one could discern its presence due to advance Aether-Light plates that refracted light away to turn Sol Invictus invisible.

Sol Invictus is currently on a course for the Wulong Forest, the estimated collision point where the Avatar, the Fire Lord, and the Lion Turtle would all intercept. The Order of the White Lotus, or after the Imperialist victory over the Internationalist, the Adeptus Astartes, would need all the firepower it could muster for that particular theater.

"Commander Hebia, please give me the latest report." Kalo commands from his personal throne in the middle of Sol Invictus' bridge. The throne itself was a marvelous piece of engineering, designed to empower Kalo, or anyone sitting in it, with enhanced mental defenses against Spiritual Attacks, as well as amplify their own abilities for a time after leaving the throne. The throne also gave them complete control over the ship with the ability to override the commands of the individual stations if they felt the need to do so.

Commander Hebia Yarute, Kalo Poder's co-second in command, steps up to the throne. She is a young woman in her early twenties, with raven black hair and piercing blue eyes, a gift she received from her Water Tribe father. Her skin is a mixture of the white and brown colorations of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes, though Hebia favors her mother's people slightly. Overall she is of a good size, five foot eight. She is dressed in the standard armor of the Adeptus Astartes, thick plated armor painted to reflect her unit. Hers is painted pitch black with a green phoenix emblazoned in the middle, to show that she serves in Kalo Poder's personal unit.

"Commander Fon reports that his forces are ready outside of Ba Sing Se. He notes that the Special War Resources: Unit 1, 2, 3, and 4 are anxious. He requests that he unleash them as soon as possible lest they turn on our troops."

Kalo takes a moment to gaze at Hebia, admiring her beauty. He himself feels no romantic desire to her, though he does love her as an older brother loves a younger sister. No, to him her beauty is that she is a mingling of the races, specifically Fire and Water. He views her not as some aberration as some of the more misguided Imperialists would, but as the synthesis of Empire. Empires traditionally contain multinational populations, drawn together from a variety of social, economic, and religious backgrounds. That which defines a Nation-State, a single state for a single, united people, is anathema to Empire. Empire are all embracing, neither caring for the race, color, or perhaps even creed of its subjects, but drawing them in and embracing them. Of course the Internationalists would stop just there, but then that is what makes them weak in Kalo's view. The true strength of Empire lies not in merely bringing different nationalities under one roof, but combining them into new and different forms.

It was the Empire of Old, that ancient empire, that drew the original humans of this world to it. And through thousands of years it gave birth to the very first Energy benders, with dramatic consequences. For Kalo is wise enough to realize that not all Empires have the capacity to survive. Much like Nation-States they wither and die, sometimes due to outside forces, other times due to internal dysfunctionalities. So it was with the Empire of Old. Humanity was not ready for the Energy benders, not ready for the chaotic energies they would unleash. In the span of a hundred years the Empire of Old vanished from the world, its destruction bringing about thousands of years of chaos, war, and pestilence. Its destruction also brought about the nascent Nation-State system that the world would soon crystalize under; the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, and the Air Nomads. Together each Nation would develop its own unique state, characterized by its particular elemental bending style, the last gift the Energy benders of the Empire of Old had gifted humanity with. As it turns out, the Nation-State combined with the elemental discipline, was essential to bringing out stable Energy Benders, though they are only now beginning to appear on the world stage in sufficient numbers and strength to be desirable for military purposes.

Thus, Kalo muses, Empires can give birth to Nation-States, and Nation-States can give birth to Empires. Each bringing its own advantages and disadvantages to the table. 'But Empires are still superior.' He thinks to himself as he finishes studying Hebia. 'For no Nation-State could ever produce such wonderful creatures as Hua or Hebia.'

"Inform Commander Fon that he is to hold his position. The Special War Resources must not be unleashed until it is time." Kalo commands Hebia his mind switching to the needs of the moment. "I have spent the past years gathering, perfecting, and harnessing the Special War Resources. I have dedicated hundreds of hours to training my commanders on the proper way to control the SWR. I will not have them unleashed before they are ready because one man is scarred." Hebia nods her head and begins writing down the reply to Commander Fon.

Kalo rises from his seat, walking past Hebia to stand at the front of the bridge. On either side of him technicians man their post, absorbing and inputting the vital data needed to keep Sol Invictus afloat, moving, and, most importantly, hidden. When he reaches the front he clasps his hands behind him, gazing out over the ocean. Already he can feel the power of the Comet rising, filling his veins. He sighs in near ecstasy. He can only imagine what Sozin must have felt, wielding the power of the Comet, smiting the foolish Air Nomads and their false ideology of communal living. Kalo smiles at the thought of that. His family had nearly been bankrupted by wandering Air Nomads who refused to accept the notion of private property, regarding property as a corrupting Fire Nation belief that sought to tie them down and destroy their spirits.

'Anarchistic fools. Look where your freedom has gotten you. You abused it, angered the farmers, starved the cities, and garnered the hatred of virtually everyone on the planet. Now you are dead. Buried and gone. Only one remains, and he shall fall soon as well.'

Kalo turns back to Hebila his smile gone once more. "What of Hua and Ty Lee? Have they reached the collosion point yet?" Hebia's face reddens slightly as she summons up a display on her Aethercrystal. "Jealous, aren't we?" Kalo murmurs low enough that only she can hear him. Hebia glares at him, her courtship with Hua nearly reaching its logical conclusion.

"They have Lord Poder. They and the Dai Lee agents are in position. Once Avatar Aang and Ozai weaken each other to a significant degree, they will launch their attack." Hebia turns and leaves Kalo, her report finished. Kalo lets her go, deciding to focus on the other female in his immediate entourage. Whirling around, he draws Revan and brings it up just in time to block a quick thrust coming out of nowhere. Revan effortlessly deflects the blade, its runes flashing as Aether is flooded into it. Everyone else on the bridge continues on with their assigned duty, ignoring the little drama playing out behind them.

Smirking, Kalo draws a second blade, though this one is just a hilt; the blade is flame provided by Kalo himself. Green flames condenses into a katana and Kalo goes on the attack. His methods become unpreditable as he twirls and spins, careful not to injury any of his troopers. It is less of a battle then a training exercise. And like most training exercises when you have a novice fighting a master, it ends pretty quickly. In less then ten seconds the "assailant" is down and Kalo stands over her, victorious.

"I am impressed about your abilities to bend light Mai. Truly the darkness suites you. The Path of the Stalker-Assassin was the right choice for you. Though your swordsmanship is just as bad as ever." Kalo gives a blunt assessment of his sister's attack before helping her up.

Mai dusts herself off before giving him an apathetic glare. "Well if you would let me use the Chamber like Ty Lee does, I could improve myself much quicker then my current pace." Mai is dressed much the same way she was when she was fighting with Azula, both the red had darken considerably and there were hundreds of tiny crystal sown into her clothes.

Kalo's face darkens at the mention of the Chamber. "No. You will not use it. You are a Stalker-Assassin. Attempting to use such a device would end in the destruction of your mind, if not your death. I have explained this to you before. You are a manifestation of the Psyker phenomena, but a negative one. You bend your psychic energy inward thus allowing you to obtain your invisibility and the protection of the Null Field. Ty Lee is a positive Psyker. She exudes her powers outward. What she takes in she will release. You will keep it inside of yourself, and you at this point in your life cannot handle the exotic energies of the Chamber." Kalo's voice softens as he explains. He then takes Mai's face in his hands and pulls her close, kissing her forehead. "Don't worry Mai, you are doing fine. Against anyone save elites you will most likely land a killing blow." He pauses and smiles. "I am proud of you. If I had known you would be so receptive to my teachings I would have subverted Ursa's commands long ago."

Mai smiles at that, dipping her head slightly in respect. "Thank you Kalo."

Kalo smiles gently, remembering how Mai was in her youth, before the abuse, before the withdrawal, before the emotional armor she built around herself. Sad as it was to admit it, but her present emotional state served his purposes quite well, for all the fact that he hated it. Her inward focus would make her a powerful assets in the future war, the true war, not this little sideshow.

Grasping her and pulling her closely, Kalo embraces her and after a moment she returns it. They stay like that for a minute until a comm on Kalo's gauntlet beeps. Pulling back, he glances down at it grimacing. "It is time Mai." She nods and puts her mask on her face. It is a simple mask with no ornamentation. A simple black mask, to absorb the light and to hide her. Kalo begins walking to his personal transport, to make a quick dash back to the capital for his rendezvous with destiny. "Hebia, you are in charge until I return. Follow the plan and revere the gods. Do those two things and we will emerge victorious."

Hebia and the rest of the bridge crew rise from their posts, and salute the Poders. "Long Live the Empire!" They cry out. Kalo returns the salute and in a few long strides is out of the bridge and moving toward his destiny.

**Flashback**

**Somewhere, Somehow, Somewhen**

The process was finally completed. The case had been laid out, charge by charge. No detail had been spared for the gods saw all. Every little sin, every fault is laid before a candid afterlife, who observe with curious detachment all the triumphs and faults of a single twelve year old. Said twelve year old does not speak much. His mind trembling with the enormity of it all. Nothing in his life has prepared him for the moment. Even his brief contacts with the Avatar Spirit pale in comparison to the amount of Aether that is just floating around in this room. Even with his extremely underdeveloped mental abilities, Aang can see that the gods are holding in most, if not virtually all of their Aether. The fact that such power exists is humbling.

Never before had Aang thought of the spirits as "gods" per say. He had always thought them as manifestations of the life force of the universe, spiritual versions of humans. The figure of greatest admiration was the Avatar Spirit itself, the incarnation of the very planet. But Aang can now see that either the stories of old were badly misinterpreted, or were downright lies. Even in the full Avatar State he could not hope to merely scratch one of these immense beings, which tells him that he is FAR from the top of the totem pole in terms of authority. Which also means that he is in a whole lot of trouble…

The gods, having finished listening to the defense provided for Aang by Avatar Roku, now turn their attention to Kalo to hear his summary. Kalo thus begins. "My gods, this boy who stands accused of the most heinous crimes in the history of this world deserves his punishment, whatever it is you choose to bring upon him. He deserves it a thousand times over. He cannot possibly see what you see. The horrors of this war are secondary to the horrors of the human cost of his actions. The massacre of entire people pales in comparison to the miasma of evil that has been allowed to reign, nearly unchecked, on this planet for the past century. The depths of cruelty that this miasma has inspired men to inflict on one another is a crushing weight for any to endure. Only you could possibly hope to do so.

"Yet the quantities of his crimes is irrelevant. So long as he broke a single commandment of yours, he is guilty of breaking them all. This boy is broken, spiritually, mentally, and physically. What possible use can he be to you, my gods, in his current state? You know better than anyone here the foes that we face. Ozai and his horde are the least of them. The terrors of the Void are immense, more than enough to mentally scar this boy for life. Against the true enemy, how can we use such a boy? Against the true enemy, who feast on Life itself, how can Aang protect us? The simple answer is that he cannot. The wisest, most prudent course of action would be to remove him from the playing field, to sever his connection to the Avatar Spirit and bestow that power on another. I will leave the list of candidates to you as you know I do not want it."

Here Kalo pauses, and a shift occurs. It is profound and the very atmosphere of the judicial chamber lightens, softens. Even Aang, who has the weakest spiritual sense of any Avatar, can sense it. "But…" Kalo continues and that one word sends renewed hope through Aang. It surges in him, reinvigorating his strength, steeling his spirit. Hope returns to his eyes

"what is Aang's greatest flaw? It is rather simple. It is his ignorance. He knows nothing about this world, his powers, or the truth of the War. And who is to blame for this? Well a certain percentage must be laid at his feet. He is the master of himself, and has made plenty of bad decisions that have had disastrous consequences for us all. But when we look at the context of such decisions, they become more understandable. Let us now look the actions of three individuals who made Aang's decisions possible." With that Kalo turns and glares at the first individual. Everyone around him took a step back, leaving him defenseless before the Prosecutor's wrath.

"Avatar Kuruk was possibly the worst Avatar that has ever lived. The man was vain, arrogant, brutally ignorant about the consequences of his action, and so many more things that I do not have the time, inclination, or patience to list them. He, above all others, is the root of this problem. His complete and total disregard for the balance of the world, for the build up of evil under his watch, helped propel the world to this cataclysmic point we now are at. Koh used his blindness to his advantage and absorbed Kuruk's wife. Kuruk then spent the rest of his life wandering the Spirit World, fully neglecting the Realm of Man, searching for his wife. And back in the Realm of Man, national leaders grew emboldened. The cries of the oppressed were ignored, and a most terrible war brewed.

"When Kuruk finally died, war erupted in the Principalities of Sankalb-Un. An experiment, forged by Yangchen during her final days as the Avatar, The Principalities of Sankalb-Un was a federation of nations, each with its own ethnicity making up a third of the population. The San were Water benders who had broken off from the Foggy Swamp Tribe and the two polar tribes, each group seeking out drier and hotter conditions. The Un were a splinter group of the Unkerlant race who resided in the northern part of the main continental mass. As Earth benders, they sought relief from the heavy hand of the Earth King and his taxes. Finally there was the Kalb. They were the remnants of the original Fire Nation people, the ones who were unable to flee the political, cultural, and economic genocide perpetrated by the Kingdom of Tiberium, the precursor to the Earth Kingdom, some five thousand years hence. The Kalb had all gathered together for one purpose, to reestablish a homeland for themselves.

"For a time the Principalities of Sankalb-Un was stable and prosperous. With the relaxing of immigration and racial laws, people were free from every nation to move to Sankalb-Un and make their way in the world. This brought immense wealth to the people of Sankalb-Un, but also much envy. When Kuruk abandoned his role as Avatar, the Earth Kingdom began to move. When he finally died, they struck. For ten long brutal years there was war in Sankalb-Un. The Earth Kingdom sought to regain control of the Un, and when that failed did an abrupt about-face and supported them in an Earth Kingdom inspired Civil War. The Fire Nation intervened to protect the Kalb and the Water Tribes also intervened. Differences in faith soon united the Un and San in an attack on the Kalb and the Kalb were defeated. Once again they were scattered across the Earth Kingdom, their lives destined to be haunted by persecution until the advent of the Fire Nation.

"In this context of Kuruk's failure, Kyoshi was born. Born in war, a war that was caused by the Earth Kingdom, she grew to hate her Earth bending abilities. As a hybrid Kalb-Un, she understood both cultures, but utterly rejected the Un. Siding with the Kalb and the Fire Nation, she became the bane of the Earth Kingdom, relentlessly punishing them for their treatment of the Kalb. She also conspired with the Fire Lord, helping him lay the foundations for the present war.

"It was her next action though that truly set the world on course for this war. How many historians have commented on the curious set of actions Kyoshi took during the War of Chin the Great. How, interesting, that Kyoshi merely stayed on her island, doing nothing as Chin's armies marched back and forth in the Earth Kingdom. It is quite possible, given the massive amount of empirical evidence available, that Kyoshi would have done nothing to Chin if he had marched on Ba Sing Se. But he marched on her home instead, and the end result is well known to everyone here.

"Thus Kuruk allowed evil to grow immensely during his mismanagement of his office and powers, which in turn prompted the Earth Kingdom to try and conquer Sankalb-Un, which in turn embittered Kyoshi to the point where she actively conspired with the Fire Lord to bring the whole of the Earth Kingdom under Fire Nation control so that the Kalb would never be persecuted again. But we must not forget Roku and his paranoid fears. It was almost as if there was a backlash in the mind of the Avatar. Where Kyoshi had favored the Fire Nation, Roku favored the Earth Kingdom above the Fire Nation. So great was his fear of the Fire Nation and its growing strength that when he saw the Fire Nation flag on Earth Kingdom islands, he didn't pause to think that there might be more to the story, say a couple of Earth Kingdom lords who didn't pay their debts. No, he rushed back to the capital and condemned Sozin. He was so breathtakingly disrespectful and gave Sozin no chance to explain his actions that a breach between the two friends became inevitable.

"Thus the cycle of persecution continued against the Fire Nation. Legitimate grievances they had against the other nations were ignore of only a minimal action was taken. Because Roku trusted the word of the other nations over his own, he did not investigate the incidents himself, or did so very briefly. Like Kuruk he spent most of his time at his home, and thus was the fool who was played by the other nations.

"Meanwhile the anger in the Fire Nation continued to grow and grow. Thousands of years of oppression and mistreatment by the other nations had reached a boiling point. All it needed to explode was a catalyst. A very convenient volcanic eruption provided that. With one fell swoop, Roku was dead, killed by his own stupidity, for who in their right mind lives in the shadow of a volcano and does nothing beforehand to prepare for it exploding?

"Thus Aang was born into a broken world. Terrified by the monumental task that had been left to him by Kuruk and Roku's incompetence, and Kyoshi's favoritism, he fled. Understandable. Thus my gods I make this final plea. Aang does not deserve your mercy, or your grace. He is unworthy of it. But then, if he was worthy it wouldn't be mercy, would it? Once, long ago, when evil Energy Benders ran amok, and nearly destroyed this world, you did not destroy humanity, as it deserved. You preserved it, and gave us a second chance. For you are Gods of Mercy as well as Order. Thus I plead with you, temper your righteous anger against this foolish boy who knows not what he does, and instead given him a lighter sentence. Hide from his mind the events of this proceeding, and give him a special teacher, so that he might learn. And when he learns all that he has to, let him make a choice, one last choice. If he revers your names, he will be spared. If he rejects you, so you will reject him. This is my plea to you, oh gods of my heart. Let your will be done."

There is perfect silence in the hall as the gods discuss the verdict between themselves. Before them Aang gazes at Kalo, confusion prominent on his face. 'How can this man both condemn me and beg for me to be spared?'

"**Because he was once like you."** A new voice answers. Before Aang can respond or even process the reply to his thought, the gods begin to glow. Before Aang a huge tablet appears and words are transcribed onto it. **SO IT IS WRITTEN, SO LET IT BE DONE**, are the only words he can understand. The rest are written in an alien script that is indecipherable to him. When the words have finished forming on the tablet, a powerful light consumes Aang, and he falls, back to the Realm of Man. What he does not notice, is a winged angel following him…

* * *

**Author's Note**

**The more I write, the more things start changing. What was once meant to be a brief battle is turning into a rather long character journey for Aang. I guess I want to challenge myself, try and find the good parts of Aang while trying to remain true to his character.**

**Anyway you now have met the gods, sort of. They will get names later on but for now know the Fire Nation isn't the real enemy. They are a sideshow, a diversion if you will. Strange to think of a hundred year war as a mere diversion, but then that is what it is. The real enemy will be revealed later on. For now our heroes, on both side, will journey through book 3 told through the eyes of Kalo and Aang. There will be Zutara, but I am going to try my hand at Kataang first, just to see if I can do it.**

**Response to Reviewers**

**Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: The Promised King is sort of a prelude/alternate story to the main story I want to write (I will probably die before I get that story written down). One of my main areas of weakness is my inability to really find anything good about Aang. That is why I made it a point to make Kalo pro-Aang, both from a practical and personal viewpoint. Kalo will probably always be somewhat pro-Aang, though events may occur that causes him to lose all patience with Aang, which will be bad for the boy since Kalo is the only person who is really his advocate.**

**DAve and Bob: Thank you. 99 percent of it will be set in Book 3, with events mostly staying according to Cannon with some revisions. At least until we get to the Sozin's Comet chapters. Then the story diverges wildly. Well I hope you enjoyed.**

**doctor anthony: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am finalizing my ideas for the Avatar world with this and the story is actually expanding the more I write. Expect most of Book 3 to get written with a little left over.**

**Disclaimer: I am just a poor teacher, and have no money. So don't sue me please. I own nothing of Avatar.**


End file.
